Hands Across The Sea
Hands Across The Sea was developed through a research project inspired by the Hands Across the Sea postcards of the early 20th century, sent between Britain and her colonies in the thousands, with the specific purpose of maintaining connections over distance. The project used the postal system to attempt to create a network that explores ideas of connection and (post)colonialism today. I mapped addresses in each country of the Commonwealth that used the name of Queen Victoria, for example Victoria Street or Victoria Park and sent postcards to 200 of them, asking for a postcard in return.
From this process I developed a performance that takes the audience through the unexpected journey of the project, focusing on opening up a space for a relationship between audience and performer to be developed. In addition an exhibition of postcard works was created to run along side the performance. In our current time of constant migration I want to look at how we maintain contact with what we have left behind, and to ask questions about future connections that can be made.
Hands Across The Sea was first presented at The Yard Theatre as part of the festival The Theatre of Great Britain in July 2012.
This project was supported by www.artscouncil.org.uk. and The Yard Theatre
